RI 'understands' Suu Kyi's demand for colleagues' release
RI 'understands' Suu Kyi's demand for colleagues' release
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia views the reported statement of Myanmar prodemocracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi to deny her release without the freedom
of 35 of her colleagues as being in line with the demand of the
Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) member countries.
Spokesman for the Indonesian foreign ministry Marty Natalegawa
said it had been ASEAN's stance that the release of Suu Kyi
should be placed within the context of national reconciliation
efforts in Myanmar, not just the prodemocracy leader herself.
"It would seem to be consistent that her release should be
part of wider reconciliation efforts; by implication, it should
be more than just about Madame Suu Kyi herself," Marty told The
Jakarta Post upon leaving for Tunis on Sunday.
He emphasized that ASEAN's stance had been conveyed to the
Myanmar military authorities during the regional grouping's
latest summit in Bali last month.
"During the summit, the junta informed us that Suu Kyi was not
under house arrest but we said that we sought her release as part
of national reconciliation in the country," he said.
Marty was commenting on the recent report from UN human rights
envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who said, after a two-hour meeting
with Suu Kyi, that the opposition leader was resisting her
release until her supporters had been released too.
"We urged that Myanmar proceed with the democratization road
map and national reconciliation, as it said it would," Marty
said.
Suu Kyi was detained by the Myanmar military junta following
clashes between her supporters and government supporters on
May 30.
The demand for her release came not only from ASEAN, but also
many countries and organizations outside the region, with donor
countries such as Japan and the U.S. deciding to cut their
financial aid to the country.
Indonesia, as the chair of ASEAN, has continued to increase
pressure on the Myanmar government to go ahead with the
reconciliation process.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri publicly asked Yangon to
announce a clear timetable for the democratization road map in
the country that is currently under military rule.
In her latest meeting with Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Khin
Nyut, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, Megawati once again
stressed that Indonesia would like to see a timetable for
reconciliation.
On the same occasion, ASEAN leaders agreed to allow more
leeway for the Myanmar government to deal with its domestic
problems, to ensure a smooth democratization process.